Hitler’s attempt to murder all of Europe’s Jews almost succeeded. One reason it fell short of its nefarious goal was the work of brave non-Jews who sheltered their fellow citizens. In most countries under German control, those who rescued Jews risked imprisonment and death. In Poland, home to more Jews than any other country at the start of World War II and location of six German-built death camps, the punishment was immediate execution.

This book tells the stories of Polish Holocaust survivors and their rescuers. The authors traveled extensively in the United States and Poland to interview some of the few remaining participants before their generation is gone. Tammeus and Cukierkorn unfold many stories that have never before been made public: gripping narratives of Jews who survived against all odds and courageous non-Jews who risked their own lives to provide shelter.

These are harrowing accounts of survival and bravery. Maria Devinki lived for more than two years under the floors of barns. Felix Zandman sought refuge from Anna Puchalska for a night, but she pledged to hide him for the whole war if necessary—and eventually hid several Jews for seventeen months in a pit dug beneath her house. And when teenage brothers Zygie and Sol Allweiss hid behind hay bales in the Dudzik family’s barn one day when the Germans came, they were alarmed to learn the soldiers weren’t there searching for Jews, but to seize hay. But Zofia Dudzik successfully distracted them, and she and her husband insisted the boys stay despite the danger to their own family.

Through some twenty stories like these, Tammeus and Cukierkorn show that even in an atmosphere of unimaginable malevolence, individuals can decide to act in civilized ways. Some rescuers had antisemitic feelings but acted because they knew and liked individual Jews. In many cases, the rescuers were simply helping friends or business associates. The accounts include the perspectives of men and women, city and rural residents, clergy and laypersons—even children who witnessed their parents’ efforts.

These stories show that assistance from non-Jews was crucial, but also that Jews needed ingenuity, sometimes money, and most often what some survivors called simple good luck. Sixty years later, they invite each of us to ask what we might do today if we were at risk—or were asked to risk our lives to save others.

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

Bill Tammeus, a former nationally syndicated columnist for the Kansas City Star, is the author of A Gift of Meaning (University of Missouri Press) and lives in Kansas City, Missouri. Rabbi Jacques Cukierkorn, descended from Polish rabbis, is the spiritual leader of the New Reform Temple in Kansas City, Missouri, and author of Accessible Judaism: A Concise Guide.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Reviews

Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

The Stories

Zygie Allweiss

Irene Bau

Sheila Bernard

Maria Devinki

Aaron Elster and Irene Budkowski

Roman Frayman

Rose Gelbart

Felicia Graber

Feliks Karpman

Jerry Koenig

Andre Nowacki

Anna Schiff

Barbara Turkeltaub

Father Romuald Jakub Weksler-Waszkinel

Felix Zandman

Four Rescuers

After the War

A Brief Chronology of Events Related to Rescuing Jews in Poland

Yad Vashem

The Jewish Foundation for the Righteous

Notes

Bibliography

Readers’ Guide

Index

About the Authors

REQUEST ACCESSIBLE FILE

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from using this book in printed form, BiblioVault may be able to supply you
with an electronic file for alternative access.

Please have the disability coordinator at your school fill out this form.

Hitler’s attempt to murder all of Europe’s Jews almost succeeded. One reason it fell short of its nefarious goal was the work of brave non-Jews who sheltered their fellow citizens. In most countries under German control, those who rescued Jews risked imprisonment and death. In Poland, home to more Jews than any other country at the start of World War II and location of six German-built death camps, the punishment was immediate execution.

This book tells the stories of Polish Holocaust survivors and their rescuers. The authors traveled extensively in the United States and Poland to interview some of the few remaining participants before their generation is gone. Tammeus and Cukierkorn unfold many stories that have never before been made public: gripping narratives of Jews who survived against all odds and courageous non-Jews who risked their own lives to provide shelter.

These are harrowing accounts of survival and bravery. Maria Devinki lived for more than two years under the floors of barns. Felix Zandman sought refuge from Anna Puchalska for a night, but she pledged to hide him for the whole war if necessary—and eventually hid several Jews for seventeen months in a pit dug beneath her house. And when teenage brothers Zygie and Sol Allweiss hid behind hay bales in the Dudzik family’s barn one day when the Germans came, they were alarmed to learn the soldiers weren’t there searching for Jews, but to seize hay. But Zofia Dudzik successfully distracted them, and she and her husband insisted the boys stay despite the danger to their own family.

Through some twenty stories like these, Tammeus and Cukierkorn show that even in an atmosphere of unimaginable malevolence, individuals can decide to act in civilized ways. Some rescuers had antisemitic feelings but acted because they knew and liked individual Jews. In many cases, the rescuers were simply helping friends or business associates. The accounts include the perspectives of men and women, city and rural residents, clergy and laypersons—even children who witnessed their parents’ efforts.

These stories show that assistance from non-Jews was crucial, but also that Jews needed ingenuity, sometimes money, and most often what some survivors called simple good luck. Sixty years later, they invite each of us to ask what we might do today if we were at risk—or were asked to risk our lives to save others.

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

Bill Tammeus, a former nationally syndicated columnist for the Kansas City Star, is the author of A Gift of Meaning (University of Missouri Press) and lives in Kansas City, Missouri. Rabbi Jacques Cukierkorn, descended from Polish rabbis, is the spiritual leader of the New Reform Temple in Kansas City, Missouri, and author of Accessible Judaism: A Concise Guide.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Reviews

Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

The Stories

Zygie Allweiss

Irene Bau

Sheila Bernard

Maria Devinki

Aaron Elster and Irene Budkowski

Roman Frayman

Rose Gelbart

Felicia Graber

Feliks Karpman

Jerry Koenig

Andre Nowacki

Anna Schiff

Barbara Turkeltaub

Father Romuald Jakub Weksler-Waszkinel

Felix Zandman

Four Rescuers

After the War

A Brief Chronology of Events Related to Rescuing Jews in Poland

Yad Vashem

The Jewish Foundation for the Righteous

Notes

Bibliography

Readers’ Guide

Index

About the Authors

REQUEST ACCESSIBLE FILE

If you are a student who has a disability that prevents you
from using this book in printed form, BiblioVault may be able to supply you
with an electronic file for alternative access.

Please have the disability coordinator at your school fill out this form.